In his final five-day development tour in Mt Kenya region yesterday, President William Ruto expressed his unwillingness to enter into a coalition government with the Opposition.
Ruto, in a scathing attack to his political nemesis Azimio leader Raila Odinga, told the Opposition to stop wasting time in demonstrations and talks, maintaining that there’s no room for them in the Hustler Government.
He said Kenyans decided at the ballot and that their decision cannot be reversed to the advantage of a few leaders.
“I’m telling our friends on the other side that they won’t get the coalition or handshake in the hustler government. Kenyans decided on the ballot in August last year and they voted to a man for all positions available. There’s no more positions for any leader. The only jobs we have is for the young people of our country,” Ruto said.
Both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio had already began the structured dialogue aimed at solving the political stalemate pitting the two factions and bring to an end the countrywide anti-government demonstrations steered by the Opposition.
But while addressing Thika residents after launching several projects among them expansion of the Sh4.6 billion Karimenu Water and affordable housing projects in the same town, Ruto claimed Azimio leaders are after getting into the government through the backdoor.
“We know they are used to joining governments through the backdoor but under my administration, they will get nothing, not even a slice of the bread. They should stop the street protests as it cannot help reduce cost of living or reduce the cost of basic food items,” said Ruto.
Opposition team
Ruto reprimanded the Opposition for what he described as hoodwinking Kenyans that a solution to high cost of living can be found through street protests, saying his administration has a plan to resolve the economic crisis through enhanced food production.
This, he said, will be easily achieved through subsidised fertilizer that the government has begun issuing to Kenyans at the cost of Sh2,500 down from Sh6,500.
In what sounded as a warning that could stall the ongoing bi-partisan talks, Ruto’s hard stance was echoed by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, and his Thika counterpart Alice Ng’ang’a, who urged the Head of State to stop wasting time in the ongoing talks. In his statement, Nyoro told Ruto to concentrate on delivering development projects as assigned by the electorates.
Ruto emphasised that his government will fully deliver the job promises he made to Kenyan youths, saying programmes such as affordable housing, ICT hubs, establishment of special economic zones and industrial parks will facilitate creation of millions of jobs for Kenyans.
Ng’ang’a urged Ruto to remain steadfast in steering the country’s development agenda and not to be cowed by demonstrations and threats by the Opposition.
Also present were Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, Trade CS Moses Kuria, Governor Kimani Wamatangi and a host of MPs.
